Silver Spoons
by Elwyna
Summary: The life and love of Lobelia Sackville-Baggins, and why she was so fond of Bilbo's silver spoons
1. Default Chapter

Author's note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so please be kind! I greatly appreciate any constructive criticism you have. I'll warn you, though, grammar and spelling have never been my strong suits.

They call me a bitter woman. Perhaps they are right, but I have reasons to be bitter. Oh! I have my reasons. Since I was a child, I was never good enough for anyone; it was my sister Lily who had everyone's attention. She was truly a lovely child, and when she was born, I was quite fond of her. Then things changed, things became different.

From the start mother and father spent all their time with her, while I sulked under the watchful eye of my nurse. I had been told that it was often like this at the beginning, but that my parents really did love me. I believed it, with childish naïveté and innocence.

For the first few years I got along in relatively peaceful co-existence with my sister. She would follow me everywhere, screaming "Lia! Lia!" and would try and do everything I did. After a while, she realized that she could get far more attention from adults and other hobbits then she could from me. She would go to anyone who would listen to her, and chatter away in childish babble. I could rarely understand a word out of her mouth, but everyone though it was charming and sweet.

There was another thing about Lily. She was beautiful. With curly blonde hair, (an incredible rarity) bright blue eyes, and a charming smile, she was truly an exquisite beauty. I on the other hand, was quite unremarkable looking. Dark hair and eyes were a sharp contrast to my fair complexion. Everyone would exclaim how good-looking Lily was, and as to me, they would say "what an unusual looking child."

As I grew older, Lily became more popular, and I grew more aloof. I was a wild one, I liked to run with the boys, but they shunned me, so I escaped into stories and songs. I liked nothing more than to hear the stories of old, and relive the tales in my mind. The years raced by, until I was of age, my parents were beginning to look for suitors, although none seemed very interested. Lily had what seems like hundreds of possible suitors, and she wasn't even of age! Boys seemed drawn to her, like flies to a picnic. She was equally drawn to them, always decked out in fancy dresses and hair ribbons, hanging on their every word.

I thought I would never find a husband. All the "possible suitors" were dull, boring, and seemed to want only ale, and fine lass to serve it. I did not want to be a personal barmaid to some thick- witted, heartless oaf of a hobbit. I wanted a good husband…and true love. I though I would never find that true love, so I set out to live and die an old maid. But fate was kind. In my 35 year, when all (including myself) had assumed I would live out my life in bitter celibacy, lady fate sent me what I had wanted for so long…true love


	2. True Love

He came in the form of Mungo Bolger. A fine gentlehobbit he was, fairly tall, although not particularly good looking, he had a kind face. My second cousin Lilac introduced him to me. Lilac was one of my dearest relatives; she had always been the life of the party, and had the most interesting friends. Lilac was throwing one of her incredible parties, and it was the best party in my memory, save maybe Bilbo's eleventy-first. There was no specific occasion, but I knew she was trying to find me a husband.

The party was going well, the music was lively, and there was the most amazing cake. A hour or so into the evening, lilac came up to me, Mungo in tow. "Lia, I have someone that I want you to meet. This is Mungo Bolger, Mungo, this is my cousin Lobelia Bracegirdle."

"We're second cousins actually" I responded, then gave myself a mental slap, "silly lass" I thought. "He doesn't care about that."

"Pleased to meet you Lobelia, or can I call you Lia as well?" he asked.

"Lia will serve the purpose. Lobelia is really the most horribly wretched name, I don't know what my parents were thinking!"

"Well, I must agree with you on that, but it is not nearly as bad as Mungo!"

The evening continued, Mungo and I being quite inseparable, Lilac gave me a happy wink, as she passed by. When all the guests had left, I helped Lilac wash the dishes. "So," she said, "what do you think of him?"

"Not bad, not bad at all!" I responded happily. "Lilac, I cannot thank you enough."

"Oh yes you can!" she said, throwing a dishcloth at me. "Finish the dishes, and we'll call it even!"


	3. Quiet Bliss

I spent the next few days in quiet bliss, going about my daily chores singing happily. When Mungo came to visit my parents were quite pleased with the kind-hearted respectable gentlehobbit. Lily on the other hand, wanted Mungo for herself. When she heard that someone had come to call on _me_, the ugly, dull older sister, she was furious. She entered the parlour dressed in her best, her blonde locks bedecked in ribbons.

"Oh hello!" she said to Mungo. "You must be the Mungo Lia has talked so much about! We are just ever so glad to have you with us!" she said as she squeezed herself down onto the chesterfield with an over-exuberant smile. Mungo returned the smile kindly, as was his nature. The afternoon continued on, and much to my pleasant surprise, Mungo seemed immune to Lily's charm. He answered her questions tersely, and made it quite obvious that he was not interested in her.

The months went by, Mungo and I began a steady courtship, and I spent my days in contained rapture. Wandering a wooded path one evening, Mungo stopped suddenly. "Lia?" he asked.

"Yes love?"

"Will you marry me?"

A thousand and one thoughts went through my mind. Lily's face, Father's pride, Mother making my dress, walking down the aisle, our first child, growing old together. "Yes love, I'll marry you."


	4. A Turn for the Worse

Here's the fourth chapter, finally one of a decent length! I've chosen not to use the shire months here to avoid confusion for the reader, and for myself. I'll warn you, things are much less happy in this chapter, and it gets a bit sappy in places, but its the best I could do.

Thus started, the happy whirlwind of wedding plans began. We chose a date in mid April. Lilac, mother and I designed the gowns for my bridesmaids. Lilac was to be my maid of honor and Mungo's friend Otho Sackville-Baggins was to be best man.

March that year was particularly wet, and the river was close to overflowing its banks. One very rainy night, I was sitting by the fire with Mother and Lily working on the bridesmaid's gowns, when we heard a knock at the door. Lily sprung up to answer it. "Who would be out in this weather?" she said as she opened the door. Standing there in the rain was our best man-to-be, Otho Sackville-Baggins. I hurried to the door.

"Please come in."

"Only for a moment"

"What brings you here on this awful night? I trust you all are well?" I said nervously. He took a short breath.

"I'm afraid not, Mungo was thrown from his pony on his way here."

I staggered back, unsure of what to do or say. Lily steadied me with her hand, in a rare gesture of benevolence.

"You'd best come with me" he said gruffly. Numb with apprehension and grief, I was unable to move. Mother helped me into my cloak, and gave me a gentle push out the door. Otho helped me into his pony cart, and we were off. Once I had recovered somewhat from the shock of it all, I ventured to break the silence. "w-will he be alright?" I managed to ask.

"I dunno, but I best tell you the whole story now. He left late this afternoon, said he had something important for you. From what we could find out, he was thrown from his pony, something must have given it a fright. That might not have been so bad, had he not been crossing the bridge just then. I'm afraid he's in quite a state, I just hope we're not too late."

I stared out on the rainy night, trying to contain my fear, and the tears that threatened to fall. We were both silent for the rest of the trip. When we arrived, Otho helped me down, and gave me a hopeful kind of smile, making me feel just a little better. When I entered however, I was suddenly filled with a feeling of dread. Otho gave my hand a squeeze, and then opened the chamber door.

I ran to the bed, to my beloved Mungo, and found him to be in "quite a state" indeed. Battered and bruised, he could be hardly identified as a hobbit. I knelt by his side and took his hand in mine, "Love?" I asked hopefully.

"Lia" he whispered.

"I'm here love" I responded.

"I'll love you forever" he said softly. "Remember Lia, time is meaningless; love transcends all boundaries."

With tears flowing freely now, I answered. "Yes."

Turning, I went to Otho, and promptly collapsed into tears. Such was the sight that greeted Milo Bolger, Mungo's father, when he entered. Ignoring us, he went to his son. When he took a cold lifeless hand into his, he let out a sorrowful cry that must have been heard across the entire Shire.


	5. A Strange Gift Indeed

In the two days leading up to the funeral, I did little but cry, occasionally finding comfort in Lilac or Otho. It was a grey day when I saw my beloved lowered into the ground; grey, cold, and miserably dismal. 

            That evening Otho arrived at the door. Remembering the night only a few days ago, I struggled to contain my tears. Without speaking, he took my hand, and led me outside. He seemed to struggle for the right words.

            "The night Mungo…" his voice trailed off.

            "Yes?"

            "Well, that night, he was coming here. He had something for you, an early wedding gift of sorts."

He handed me a box, plainly wrapped, and with a slight smile, he turned and left.  I took the box to my room, where I carefully opened this lost relic of my beloved. First I came to an envelope, the letter inside read:

My Dearest and most Beloved Lia, 

_I am counting the days until I will have the pleasure of calling you my wife. I love you more than mere words can express, and my love for you is endless. Here is a gift meant to express my love for you. This gift, like my love, can stand by itself, but will also grow with time, until it blossoms like a flower in springtime. _

_            With all the love I possess,_

_                        Mungo Bolger._

I set the letter aside, with tears streaming down my face. I reached for the box, opened it, and stared at its contents, puzzled. Inside the box, there were twelve silver spoons. "How strange!" I thought to myself. I took out each spoon individually and looked at it, wondering about the meaning of this unusual gift. As I lifted out the last spoon, I looked for a note, anything to explain the spoons, but there was nothing. I reread the letter "_This gift, like my love, can stand by itself, but will also grow with time, until it blossoms like a flower in springtime."_ I puzzled over this for a moment before it came to me. Silverware! It was the start of a set of silverware! I recalled the fact that Mungo had a deep dislike for unpractical gifts, so this _would _be just like him. In spite of myself I laughed, I laughed long and hard until the tears streamed down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop. The tears of laughter soon turned to real tears, and I wept bitterly. I wept for my lost love, I wept for my wedding that would never come, and selfishly, I wept for myself.


End file.
